519 Dundas St W: Large 1989 Suites Beside the Alexandra Park Rebuild

519 Dundas is an older, plain building with one big advantage: space. Its suites start at about 725 square feet, which is larger than many new two-bedrooms, and they sit a few steps from Chinatown and Kensington Market. The neighbourhood around it is also in the middle of one of the largest rebuilds downtown. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

Bigger suites than you will find in new buildings

Condos.ca lists suite sizes from about 725 to 1,478 square feet. In a new downtown tower, 725 square feet is often a full two-bedroom; here it is the smallest suite. If you have been looking at compact new one-bedrooms and feeling cramped, this is the kind of building to compare.

Older layouts also tend to work differently. You are more likely to find a separate dining area, closets in every bedroom and a proper entry, rather than an open plan built around a kitchen wall. Kitchens and bathrooms may be original or partly updated, so factor renovation into your budget.

With 57 suites over seven storeys, this is a small building by downtown standards. There are only a handful of listings a year, and you will get to know your neighbours.

Large suites also make sense as a long-term home in a way that small ones rarely do. A 900 or 1,000 square foot suite can take a growing household or a work-from-home setup without forcing a move, which matters if you are buying to live here rather than to rent out.

Security-focused rather than amenity-heavy

Condos.ca lists a parking garage, a security guard, a security system and an enterphone, and no pool, gym or party room. That is a sensible package for a building of this size and age: the money goes into keeping the building secure and running, rather than into amenity rooms.

Condos.ca also flags a pet restriction. I could not find the details, so if you have a pet, read the declaration and rules before you make an offer, and ask the manager to confirm what is allowed.

Dragon City Developments is listed as the developer. I could not find more about the company or the building’s architect, which is common for smaller 1980s buildings. The status certificate and the corporation’s records are the best place to learn the building’s history.

Alexandra Park is being rebuilt around you

The building sits on Dundas at the north edge of Alexandra Park, the 18-acre community bounded by Spadina, Queen, Dundas and Bathurst. Toronto Community Housing and its development partner Tridel are rebuilding it in phases, replacing the older social housing, adding about 1,540 market units, a new park, a community centre and new streets. Toronto Community Housing expects the full project to run until about 2038.

The second phase is right on Dundas at Denison, where a two-tower rental and condominium building on a shared podium was scheduled to finish around the end of 2025. Augusta Avenue has been extended north to Dundas and Grange Avenue extended east as part of the new street grid.

For an owner here, that is mostly good news. New streets, a new park and more retail tend to improve a neighbourhood over time. The cost is construction close by for years, so ask about noise and traffic if you plan to be home during the day.

It also changes the competition. Hundreds of new condo suites are arriving in the same few blocks, most of them smaller and pricier per square foot than what you find here. When you sell, buyers will compare your suite with those, and the case for an older building is simple: more space for the money. Make sure the suite you buy shows that space well.

Chinatown on your doorstep

Step out the door and you are on Dundas between Chinatown and Kensington Market, with grocery stores, bakeries and inexpensive restaurants all around. Daily errands do not require a car.

Dundas is a busy street with streetcar service, so street-facing suites will hear it. If noise matters, ask which way the suite faces and look at the windows. Transit, school and park details are in the data panel on this page.

Low price per square foot, and why

Condos.ca puts the building average at about $770 per square foot. That is well below what new condos in the area ask, and it reflects the building’s age, plain design and limited amenities as much as its location.

Because the suites are large, a low price per square foot still produces a substantial total price. The better comparison is the cost of the same amount of space in a newer building nearby, which will usually be much higher.

Fees for a building of this age deserve attention on their own. A larger suite carries a larger share of the common costs, so ask for the exact monthly fee of any suite you look at and work out what it is per square foot, then compare that with similar older buildings nearby.

The fee covers common elements, building insurance, parking and water. Heat and hydro are not listed as included, so ask how each suite is heated and cooled and what the recent bills have been. There were no active listings when I wrote this; ask me for a building report for recent sales.

Building specifications

Amenities at 519 Dundas

The amenity list is short: security, controlled entry and underground parking. If you want a gym or pool you will need to join one nearby, but you are not paying monthly to run them here. For many owners in a building this size, a well-run front door and a secure garage matter more than a party room.

Jatin’s honest take on 519 Dundas

519 Dundas — frequently asked questions

Looking at Queen West, Trinity-Bellwoods, Kensington and Little Italy more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.